The Minster of Our Lady stands in the centre of the town: dimensions: length 116 m, width 30 m, tower height 116 m. The cathedral was built as a donation from Duke Berchtold V of Zähringen.
The cathedral has been an episcopal church, i.e. a cathedral, since the diocese of Freiburg was founded in 1827 after the dissolution of the diocese of Constance. Construction began around 1200 in the Romanesque style. From 1220-1260, the nave was built in the early Gothic style. The tower was completed in 1330. The late Gothic choir was built between 1354 and 1515. The cathedral was consecrated in 1513.
Art historians from all over the world praise Freiburg Minster with its prominent west tower as an architectural masterpiece of Gothic architecture. The tower is particularly famous for its octagonal spire, which is made of masonry.
The stained glass windows date from all periods of the cathedral's construction. In the Romanesque transept, colourful stained glass windows from around 1220-1260 can be seen. The Gothic windows in the nave date from around 1330, when Emperor Maximilian donated the so-called imperial windows in the high choir. After the Gothic construction period, a number of the medieval windows were removed, as more light was wanted in the church ‘in keeping with the times’. As a result, some of the valuable stained glass windows were irretrievably lost.
The high altar by Hans Baldung Grien is a winged altar, painted in 1512-1516. The pictures show scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary, the apostles and certain saints on the wings. The back shows a crucifixion of Christ. The altars in the chapels arranged in a ring around the choir aisle are all designed in the late Gothic style of the 16th century.
View from the choir towards the entrance
The choir and chapels
Worship of St James:
Two depictions of a pilgrim crowning by St James can be seen in the chapel wreath: once as a relief carved in stone (around 1200). The pilgrim's staff and travelling bag clearly point to St. James as the person crowned. In the Villinger-Böcklin Chapel there is a stained-glass window depicting a blessing St James from 1524, showing the founder of the chapel, Jacob Villinger von Schönenberg (Imperial Treasurer under Emperors Maximilian I and Charles V), together with his wife. The couple receive a blessing from St James to start their pilgrimage. They are not yet wearing shells, as these will only be acquired in Santiago, but they are wearing two crossed pilgrim's staffs as a symbol of pilgrimage. There is also a window in this chapel depicting Emperor Charles V worshipping St James the Apostle. Finally, in the centre aisle, we see a St James on the second pillar on the right.
Impressions of the city of Freiburg
Pictures of the city, mostly from a visit in February 2016.
Waldkirch - Freiburg
Freiburg, St. Georgen - Oberrimsingen
